Lychee

By Kieran

 Ode to Lychee

 


Original artwork and poem by Kieran Gonsalves (c) 2026. This was a study in painting textures.


Just when I thought I’d seen it all, along came the lychee
Slightly larger than a grape with flesh that is crunchy ‘n juicy

Wrapped in a rough reddish skin, it is native to South Asia.
Take just one bite to experience a floral citrusy fantasia!

For millennia it was the fruit of choice of the Chinese Emperor.
A trip to your grocery store is all you now need, dear adventurer 

It makes a cool refreshing drink to beat the summer heat
I prefer to scarf down a handful fresh ones. Oh, what a treat!!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Wow lychee drink. Heard about it.
Never had it. (WhatsApp comment from a dear friend in Florida)
February 10, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Kieran said…
Try the Japanese drink, most notably Homare Lychee Nigori Sake, that combine lychee fruit flavor with sake. It blends creamy unfiltered nigori sake with lychee and lemon juice. These fruit sakes are generally fruity, sweet, and low-alcohol beverages often served chilled or on ice - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Anonymous said…
The crystal bowl is so exacting. You have truly mastered the art of painting glass to perfection! (WhatsApp comment from a dear friend in Pune)
February 10, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Kieran said…
Thank you, dear Helen. There is so much more to learn about light, shadow and reflections so you'll see me focusing on this aspect. I wanted to contrast the rough skins of the lychee fruits with the smooth surface of the crystal bowl. Glad you liked it. - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Anonymous said…
Love it. We're just into the start of our fresh lychee season here. This round of harvests are from Oz, then gradually the ones from China and Thailand start to appear in our stores (WhatsApp comment from an XLRI classmate on a group chat)
February 10, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Kieran said…
Lychees need a very tropical climate making it hard to grow in the USA except in Florida where the 3 main cultivars are Brewster, Mauritius, and Sweetheart. I suspect we get most of the crop from S Asia.
February 10, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Anonymous said…
Wonderful, Kieran!
Curious about the name / pronunciation- is it Ly-chee or Lee-chee? Same great taste by any other name? (WhatsApp comment from a very dear childhood friend)
February 10, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Kieran said…
Kcho, you can say, “LEE-chee”

JFYI, the original Chinese Mandarin is ‘lìzhī’ - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Anonymous said…
Wonderful ode to a wonderful fruit by a wonderful brother (WhatsApp comment on a family chat group)
February 10, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Anonymous said…
I love lychees!!
You've drawn them beautifully 😍 (WhatsApp comment from a very dear friend in Pune)
February 10, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Kieran said…
Thank you Veronica - the reason I chose this was to try out layering with a fine base coat of blue wash (mine was too far too thick and dark) followed by lighter washes of red (I ended up needing heavier washes to compensate for the base) and finishing with a textured red, orange and yellow for the rough skin. That part I was happy with.
Glad you liked it - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Anonymous said…
Dehradun and one other place in Bihar, perhaps Samastipur, were known for some of the best litchis that were sold in North India, once upon a time 😍😍 (WhatsApp comment from an XLRI classmate on a group chat)
February 10, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Kieran said…
Spot on. Lychees were introduced to India from SE Asia and India is now the second largest producer after China
Shahi lychee from Muzaffarpur (Bihar) is well known for its large, juicy fruit and aromatic flavour.
India has developed cultivars suited to the local climate. - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Anonymous said…
Love this fruit (WhatsApp comment from a very dear relative in Goa)
February 10, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Kieran said…
It has a short season and is in high demand … making it all the more sought after - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Anonymous said…
On lychees,....with a lovely lychee mocktail day before at Rajgarh Palace Khajuraho (WhatsApp comment from an XLRI classmate as a caption to a photo posing with her mocktail)
February 10, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Kieran said…
Waah 🥰, yah bada estyle hai!!

My favorite drink is
Homare Lychee Nigori Sake, that combines lychee fruit flavor with sake with a spritz of lemon juice. These fruit sakes are generally fruity, sweet, and low-alcohol beverages and to die for when served chilled 👌 - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Anonymous said…
So true (Comment from another sister in reply to a favorable comment on our family chat)
February 10, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Kieran said…
This painting has sparked a lot of interest among my classmates
One sent a photo with her favorite Lychee mocktail.
Another from Sydney Australia posted a photo of his lychee tree bearing fruit (apparently Australian lychee develop earlier and taste better than the Chinese crop but are also more expensive)
Still another remembers eating delicious lychees in Bihar, turns out Muzaffarpur grows Shahi lychees that are prized for their flavor - Kieran
February 10, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Anonymous said…
My husband loves lychees . I saw some at Costco . Was surprised . Will buy some next time . We get them in Assam. (WhatsApp comment from a dear relative in Toronto, Canada)
February 11, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Kieran said…
Yes, India grows lots of lychees in HP, Bihar and Assam. Growing up we never saw them in Pune, probably too high a demand a too short a supply - Kieran
February 11, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Anonymous said…
Have not eaten one since I left India, but had some when I was in Maui last month. They are just great. (WhatsApp comment from a childhood friend in Scaramento, CA)
February 12, 2026 at 6:09 AM
Kieran said…
We get them in the ethnic Indian and Chinese grocery stores. Bit pricey but still worth it, Roy. Check it out. - Kieran
February 12, 2026 at 6:10 AM
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